Stepladder jack



April 14,1 1959 v H. S'QFFLER 2,882,003

STEPLADDER JACK Filed Mamma-l, 195e ,drive/Vey United AStates PatentSTEPLADDER JACK Hugh A. Stiilier, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application March 31, 1958, Serial No. 725,017

2 Claims. (Cl. 248-226) This invention relates to a collapsible devicenormally termed a ladder jack which may be adjustably secured to the topstep of a step-ladder so as to extend rearwardly or forwardly or evencentrally thereof.

The ladder jack may be employed with step-ladders of different widths oftop steps and is primarily intended to serve as a foundation for a worksurface to be laid thereover such as a plaster mortar board; abrick-layers mortar board; and for any surface to support membersemployed by a worker, such as when he is doing ceiling work.

The device may be so attached to a step-ladder that the workman may workon the same step-ladder, or he may apply it to one step-ladder as aworkbench foundation and then stand on an adjacent ladder.

The purpose of the invention is to permit the workman to have his toolsand materials up where he can reach them instead of having to climb upand down the stepladder frequently.

One particular form of the invention is described herein in reference tothe accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a view in side elevation and partial section of the upperportion of a step-ladder to which the invention is applied; and

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2-2 in Fig. l.

In the present showing, the step-ladder is of the usual and well knowntype having the steps 11 between two side rails 12 and 13, with a topwider step 14, and the supporting legs 15 and 16, the legs 12, 13 and15, 16 being hinged by suitable brackets 17 and 13 to the underside ofthe top step 14.

The jack is comprised of two channel members 19 and 20 each having a topleg 21, an under leg 22 shorter than the top leg 21, and an interveningintegral web 23.

These two channel member 19 and 20 are interconnected by means of a pairof links 24 and 25, the link 24 being pivotally connected to the leg 19by means of a rivet 26; the link 25 being pivotally connected to the leg20 by means of a rivet 27; and these two links 24 and 25 are pivotallyinterconnected at their ends removed from the members 19 and 20 by meansof a rivet 28.

The under leg 22 for each member 19 and 20 is provided with a series ofspaced apart holes 29 which are screw-threaded, each carrying athumbscrew 30. Preferably the end of the thumbscrew 30 which ispresented between the legs 21 and 22 carries a swivel base 31. The base31 serves two purposes, namely to provide an area of contact with theunderside of the top step 14 and also to prevent the thumbscrew 30 fromlosing out of the hole 29.

The jack constructed as above described, is applied to the step 14 bybringing the members 19 and 20 up over opposite ends of the step 14 asindicated in Fig. 2 particularly, so that the leg 21 in each instancewill be on the topside of the step 14 and the leg 22 in each instancewill be on the underside. The members 19 and 20 may be moved forwardlyandrearwardly across the step `1'4 to give the desired projectionthereof from either the frontside or thebackside of the step 14, herelshown as Aextended to the forwardlimit. The screws 30 then appearingunder the step 14 are turned to bring theirbases 31 snugly against theunderside of the step 14 so as to hold the members 19 and 20 securelyand rigidly in their extended positions.

In placing the members 19 and 20 along the ends of the step 14, thelinks 24 and 25 will be inclined yone with the other to a degreedepending upon the length of that step 14. For wide steps, the links 24and 25 may approach a straight line whereas, when the steps arenarrower, the links 24 and 25 will be angularly positioned one inrelation to the other and to the members 19 and 20 as indicated in Fig.2.

When the device is to be removed from the step 14 for transportation `orstorage, the thumbscrews 30 are released, and the two members 19 and 20are brought one toward the other to have the links 24 and 25 foldrespectively between the legs 21 and 22 to have the two mem- 'bers 19and 20 come into abutment one with the other to come into the smallestoverall dimensions of the combined members.

When the jack is applied to the upper step 14 as indicated in thedrawing, these members 19 and 20 form under girders or rails to supporta platform separately made and laid lover the members 19 and 20. Sincesuch platforms generally utilized by plasterers or brick-masons are madeto have a smooth upper surface with two under rails, these rails maystraddle the members 19 and 20 and prevent slippage of the platformlaterally of the jack. The weight of the board plus the weight of thematerials placed thereon will prevent the board from slidinglongitudinally of the members 19 and 20. In the position of the jackindicated in Figs. l and 2 of the drawing, the workman may utilize thesteps of the ladder 10 and have the jack extending forwardly from him ashe stands on the ladder. When the members 19 and 20 are shifted topositions where parts of them overhang the ladder step 14 to the rear,then another ladder 10 may be brought up along the side of the firstladder 10 as a means for supporting the workman who then will have thejack at his side to support whatever he may want to have at hand.

Therefore it is to be seen that I have provided an exceedingly simpleladder jack which may be applied to any ladder having members withoverhanging ends or edges to which the jack may be attached removably,and the jack itself collapsed into a compact carrying condition. While Ihave herein Ishown and described my invention in the one particularform, it is obvious that structural changes may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do notdesire to be limited to that precise form beyond the limitations whichmay be required by the following claims.

I claim:

l. A jack for a stepladder having a step with exposed ends, comprising apair of channel members leach with a top and bottom leg and anintervening integral web; a plurality of screw members screw-threadedlypassing through said bottom legs; and linkage means rockably secured toand tying together said channel members adjafcent common ends thereofand removed from the location of said screw members; said channelmembers adapted to straddle said step ends with the legs extending overtop and bottom sides of the step, the top legs being adapted tocompressively engage with the step by advancing said screw means throughthe lower legs against the under step side.

2. The structure of claim l in which said linkage means consists of apair yof links, one each pivotally conneeted by an end portion to theupper leg of each channel member, and both links pivotallyinterconnected together at their other end portions; said linkspermitting the channel members to be spaced apart from an initialposition of one channel member lying in contact by leg edges along theother With the `links carried fully between the legs, to maximum spacedapart positions wherein said links extend in approximately a straightline between the channel members.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS BeckerJune 24, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain of 1902 Germany May 23, 1903

